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Illinois Governor Pat Quinn named Michael McRaith director of the newly created Department of Insurance (DOI), which separated from the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) on June 1, 2009.

Quinn also asked Brent Adams to serve as acting secretary of financial and professional regulation.

While previously serving as director of the Division of Insurance and acting secretary of IDFPR, McRaith assisted in developing and advocating for health insurance modernization both in Illinois and on the national level. Before working for the state, McRaith worked 15 years in private practice as an attorney in Chicago.

LoriAnn Lowery has resigned her position as president of Lloyd’s North America after a little more than a year on the job.

Lowery took over as Lloyd’s North America president in April 2008, replacing long-time president Wendy Baker. Before joining Lloyd’s Lowery was a senior executive with Aon.

Carl Warren & Company, a liability claims management enterprise headquartered in Orange County, Calif., hired Larry Warshaw as a client relationship manager and coverage analyst in Overland Park, Kan.

Warshaw has nearly 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry. Most recently, he was a liability claims manager at Swiss Re.

The American Agricultural Insurance Company (AAIC), based in Schaumburg, Ill., appointed Janet S. Katz as executive vice president and chief executive officer.

Katz is a 20-year veteran of AAIC. During her tenure, Katz has held numerous positions with the company and was promoted to senior vice president and chief operating officer in 2007.

Katz will succeed Virgil Applequist, who announced his retirement at the company’s annual meeting on May 5. Applequist served nearly 32 years with AAIC, the past 18 years as general manager/executive vice president/CEO.

Mark E. Pape has been appointed to the board of directors at Chicago-based Specialty Underwriters’ Alliance Inc.

Pape is a partner at Tatum LLC, an executive service firm focused on providing temporary CFOs and other employees for companies. He previously served as a director, executive vice president and chief financial officer at Affirmative Insurance Holdings Inc. He has also held positions in several other insurance companies, including Torchmark Corporation and American Income Holding Inc.

Pape fills the vacancy created by the resignation of Peter E. Jokiel, who continues to serve as SUA’s executive vice president and chief financial officer.

The Hartford Financial Services Group Inc. appointed Jeff Lange as regional vice president of The Hartford’s Chicago regional office, which serves the upper Midwest, including Illinois, Wisconsin and Minnesota, as well as North and South Dakota.

Lange joined The Hartford in 2002 as assistant vice president of strategic marketing in the Sales and Distribution organization. Lange also has served as the company’s assistant regional vice president of the Southwest regional office, branch manager of the Houston, Texas, office and, most recently, branch vice president in Houston.

He replaces Steve Wachtel, who is retiring after 23 years at The Hartford.

Theodore R. (Ted) Magley, a nearly 45-year employee of Ohio-based State Auto Insurance Companies and former chairman of the board, died at home on June 22, after a brief battle with cancer. He was 81.

Magley joined State Auto in 1949 as an auto underwriter. Over the next five decades, he would play a key role in State Auto’s growth from premiums of $14.5 million to nearly $450 million. He retired from State Auto in 1993.

Magley is survived by his wife, Dorothy, four sons and eight grandchildren.

Troy Redstone has joined Lockton Companies in Kansas City, Mo., as a producer specializing in employer-sponsored retirement plans and investment advisory consultation.

Redstone previously worked on a team that pioneered the managed accounts program for a Fortune 100 company, managed the retirement plan operations for a leading insurance brokerage firm, and directed the qualified plan operations for a Registered Investment Advisor in the Midwest.

The National Alliance for Insurance Education & Research announced the state award winners who will compete for the national Outstanding Customer Service Representative of the Year for 2009. Each state winner receives a framed certificate and is eligible to compete for the national honor, which carries a $2,000 cash award, a gold and diamond pin, $1,000 cash award for the nominator, and a scholarship for the recipient’s employer to any program offered by The National Alliance.

The outstanding CSRs for 2009 from the Midwest region are: Illinois – Elaine Wagener; Indiana – Pamela A. Golden; Iowa – James Louis Chiovaro; Kansas – Nancy J. Gleason; Michigan – Kimberly Currier; Minnesota – Brenda L. Meyer; Missouri – Pamela L. Keyes; Nebraska – Marcia A. Rau; North Dakota – Leona McPherson; Ohio – Nancy J. Gill; South Dakota – Tammy J. Carlson; and Wisconsin – Angie M. Aide.

Topics Auto Illinois